


Crowned

by yourstrulyhn



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Alternate Universe - Twins, F/M, Fanfiction, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Other, WayV - Freeform, nct - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-11
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-15 23:55:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28697310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yourstrulyhn/pseuds/yourstrulyhn
Summary: "You're a crowned prince, Wong Kunhang."
Relationships: Wong Kun Hang | Hendery/Reader
Kudos: 3





	1. Chapter 1

It was early in the morning and the castle was already hectic. The servants ran around, trying to clean and prepare for the upcoming party. Soldiers filled the halls as they went off to train or do their rounds. Arguments about diplomatic matters echoed off the walls of the castle, amplifying the chaos even further.

The only calmness in the castle was in a far-off corner where one person could be heard teasing the other.

“You know, Junhang. You’re at an age where you can get married and have children, yet you don’t even have a partner,” You said, placing your hands behind your back as you accompanied the prince on his walk.

“Y/N, it is barely even noon. Please.” He grumbled, hiding his blush behind his hand. He could hardly argue when it was the truth. It was just that he had no interest in finding a partner. He had other things he was far more interested in.

Seeing the conflicted look on his face, you couldn’t help but tease him. His parents, the king and queen, had decided to throw an extravagant party to find him a suitor. While they liked you by his side, they were worried he was becoming too dependent on you. Though, they would have no complaints if Junhang decided to pursue you after all these years.

“It’s because you’re so awkward that people find it hard to approach you. You know, since you tend to run away from them,” You sighed and shrugged your shoulders, shaking your head.

“Oi.”

“And to make matters even worse, you can’t hold a conversation longer than two sentences if you’re not comfortable with the person. What am I to do with you? Am I going to be stuck with you forever? That sounds like punishment to me.” You glanced at him and bit back a smile when Junhang took a deep breath. He was as red as a tomato because your words had nothing but truth to them.

You chuckled and gave him a pat on the back. “All right, all right. I’ve had my fun teasing you today. I’ll stop now.”

He scoffed. “You and I both know that’s a lie.”

“What? You don’t believe me? I’m offended, your highness.” You exaggerated his title. He shook his head in disbelief, further proving his point.

“Good, because I won’t ever believe you when you say you’ll stop teasing me.” He stuck his tongue out at you and you laughed. When he looked so defeated like that, you had to give in.

“Y/N, Junhang.” A voice caught your attention. You turned your heads away from each other and to the person calling your names. The king and queen stood side by side with smiles on their faces. Junhang walked up to his parents with you in tow. You bowed your head as they acknowledged you.

“You two seem lively this morning,” His mother said, fondly looking between the two of you. You and Junhang shared a look. He huffed and turned his head, crossing his arms. You chuckled.

“I may have gone a bit too far in my teasing of our dear prince.”

“Oh, what about?”

“The fact that he’s going to end up forever alone.” You smirked and he elbowed you in the side.

“Ah, so that is why he’s pouting.”

“I am not pouting.”

His mother looked at you and laughed. She patted you on the head, then pinched her son’s cheek.

“Does that mean there is someone you’ve-” Before his mother could finish, Junhang denied.

“There is not.”

Her eyes softened. “Then what about Y/N?”

Junhang stared at you, then turned back to his mother. “Absolutely not. Never. No.”

“Ouch. Now, I’m hurt that you don’t want me,” You said and held your heart. He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms.

“Like you have ever considered me as a potential partner.”

“You’re right. I wouldn’t want a clumsy and awkward prince who didn’t stop clinging onto me until we were eleven.” You stuck your tongue out at him. His eyes widened as steam came out his ears.

“Oh, my.” The queen grinned behind her hand.

“If I may ask, where are the two of you off to for today?” You diverted the conversation to save Junhang from dying of anymore embarrassment. The queen walked back to her husband’s side and smiled.

“We’re going out for a walk in the courtyard, then it’ll be hours of more paperwork,” She replied. “Really. It seems like royalty is just looking at a bunch of documents all the time.”

“Well, we are in a peaceful state, so let’s leave it at that,” The king chuckled, giving his wife a kiss on the cheek to keep her frustrations at bay. She shook her head and laughed along with you. “What about the two of you? What do you have planned?”

“We’re going to visit the town to see if there are any new vendors selling food. Everyone’s been talking highly about this one stand that sells sweets and well,” You pointed to Junhang who was shyly looking down at his feet with a small smile. His cheeks were dusted a light pink as he thought of all the aromas.

“Sweets,” He mumbled.

“Of course. Well, off you go then.” His parents shooed you away. You nodded, then bowed your head while Junhang waved goodbye.

“We’ll be sure to come back by dinner!” You promised and ran up to catch up to the prince. You frowned, scolding him for walking too fast. He ignored you, now only having sweets on his mind.

“Junhang. If you can beat me in a race to the start of the village, I’ll pay for everything you want today.”

Without giving you a reply or much thought, Junhang picked up his pace. Then, he bolted towards the hallway. You let out a gasp of disbelief before running after him.

“We didn’t even swear on it, cheater!”

“That’s a later thought! Let’s go already!”

Watching the competitive teenagers race each other through the halls with smiles on their faces, the king stroked his beard in thought while the queen shook her head. He turned to his wife when he noticed her change in mood.

“What’s the matter, dear?”

She sighed. “I question as to why our Junhang won’t consider Y/N as a potential partner. What is it that he has against Y/N?”

“The two of them grew up together. Perhaps, it’s too hard for him to look past all those years by each other’s side.”

“But-”

“I know you wish for them to be together, but we shouldn’t force nor ask them to do such a thing. Let them be, dear.”

The queen nodded, knowing he was right. He softly smiled at her as she linked arms with him. Then, they continued their morning walk.

“Almost. Almost there!” The two of you were quickly approaching the town. It was already bustling with noise and the two of you added to the chaos. You were kicking up so much dirt that you sent some of it into an unlucky vendor passing by. He grumbled underneath his breath and went on his way as you yelled your apologies. 

The gate soon came into view, giving you encouragement and energy to pick up your speed. If you won, your wallet wouldn’t have to suffer from the prince’s ability to consume a whole town’s worth of sweets. So, you pushed aside your aching legs and pushed yourself to finish first. But it seemed fate wasn’t on your side today.

“Hm, easy,” Junhang huffed, standing under the sign of the entrance as he tried to hold in his heavy breathing. He was barely holding it together. He wanted to pass out. Turning around to face you, he smirked when you glared. “Looks like you’re paying today.”

“No way. We didn’t swear on it, so this race is invalid.” When you caught your breath, you put your foot down against the unfair treatment. He stared at you before sneakily hooking his pinkie with yours. Your eyes widened at his reflexes as the two of you stared at your intertwined pinkies. You clicked your tongue and he smirked. “So much for being a righteous prince.”

But Junhang had walked away before he could hear what you were muttering about. “Let’s go already, I’m hungry!”

You let out a whine, shaking your head. Begrudgingly, you dragged your feet into town and followed him. 

“My wallet.”

Luckily, by the time you arrived, there was still enough sweets for the both of you. As promised, you paid for yourself and Junhang’s share. While he happily took his first bite, you glared at him. With your sweets in hand, the two of you walked around town to find any other delicacies to try.

“I can’t believe you, a prince, made a poor servant pay for your food. Do you not feel any remorse for my wallet?”

“Huh?” Junhang scoffed. “You were the one who said the loser pays for the sweets. Are you going back on your word now that you’ve lost, sore loser?”

You clicked your tongue and turned your head away. He huffed, turning his the other way. But all was forgiven once you spotted your favorite restaurant. 

You turned to each other and stuffed the sweets into your mouth, then ran over. The owner greeted you and ushered your inside before leaving to make your orders.

“We should probably return to the castle once we finish eating. You have a lot of paperwork to do and I have to help prepare for your suitor party.” You smirked, making him roll his eyes.

“Why do you continue to torment me this way?”

“Because you make it too easy for me.”

“Well, wait until the day you meet someone who teases you until you’re red as a tomato. Then, you’ll understand my troubled feelings when you do it to me.”

You scoffed, waving the subject away. Your life has been dedicated to aiding the prince in his path to be king. You had no desire to look for a partner, nor did you have the time or energy to do so. Besides, you enjoyed being by his side too much to leave.

“I’m too busy taking care of a crybaby to do that, prince Junhang.”

“You!” He clicked his tongue, making you snicker. Letting out a sigh, he shook his head in defeat. You fondly smiled at him as he tried to calm himself down.

After pushing the limits of the prince while eating the food, Junhang was able to catch his breath from your teasing. Though, when he paid for the both of you, you teased him for being so thoughtful. Just what did he do to deserve all this teasing in his lifetime?

You were heading back to the castle with Junhang when you passed a rowdy crowd of people. From the looks of it, it seemed like trouble.

“Should we go have a look?” You asked, looking at each other. 

“Mn.” He nodded and shrugged. You quickly made your way over, pushing your way through to the middle and apologizing for being so rude.

“Junhang, what’s-” You began to say before bumping into his back. You turned to look at him but was surprised to see him completely still. Your eyes then went to the commotion where a guard had his hands roughly pulling on the collar of a masked person. Whispers and gossips gathered around the townspeople as they watched everything unravel. You frowned.

Junhang’s eyes darkened. Was this what happened in his beloved town behind his back? Angered by the treatment of his people, he took a step forward, making his presence known. This caught the attention of the soldiers as they turned to glare at him for disturbing them. Only to regret their actions.

“My name is Prince Wong Junhang and I would like to know what is going on here.” 


	2. Chapter 2

“Kunhang! Where are you?” His mother called out for the boy. He was never in one spot for too long, which made it difficult for her to find him at times. They had just finished breakfast when he already ran off to who knew where.

“I’m outside!” He answered after placing the last of the vegetables and fruits onto the cart. She poked her head out the door and smiled. Wiping her soot-covered hands on her apron, she approached him.

“Are you going out to town today, my son?” She cupped his face into her hand before pinching his cheek. He laughed, then shook his head.

“I’ve decided to travel a bit further than normal, the capitol.”

Her eyes widened. “The capitol?”

He shrugged, thinking it was not a problem. The distance from their home to the capitol wasn’t far, so he should be fine getting there and back. Though, it didn’t look that way to his mother.

Seemingly lost in thought, his mother pulled away and cupped her hands together at her chest. Her eyes darted around as if she was nervous about something. Concerned for his mother’s strange behavior, he placed his hand on her shoulder. Then, he squeezed it for comfort.

“Mama, are you all right?”

“Ah, yes, yes.” She cleared her throat and barely met his eyes. She weakly smiled, patting his hand to show she was fine. Still, it wasn’t enough to comfort him. He felt guilty, that may be what he said caused her to worry.

“Should I not go to the capitol after all?”

When she saw the look on his face, she sighed. Shaking her head, she smiled at him.

“I’m sorry, Kunhang. It’s just that I realized that you can go out on your own now. You’re growing up so fast.”

His cheeks flushed. “Mama, I’m not a child anymore.”

She laughed. “I know, my son. You’re a man now.”

“That’s right!”

As she looked at Kunhang, she couldn’t help but feel pride, yet sorrow at the same time. He truly was growing up, becoming a fine young man that she always hoped he’d be. Her hands squeezed her apron tighter as she tried to hold in her tears.

“Well, I should get going if I want to make it in time for dinner.” He laughed, turning to the cart to make sure he had everything he needed. His mother then grabbed onto his sleeve, preventing him from going. He turned around.

“If you must go to the capitol, please wear this mask.” She placed the cloth into his hand, confusing him even more. His eyebrows furrowed. He looked at her for answers, but she shook her head. “No matter what, you cannot take it off.”

“But mama, why?” 

Her grip on his wrist tightened as if she was begging him to not question her anymore. He didn’t understand why she was acting this way but did as she asked. He tied the mask on, covering the lower half of his face. She nodded, then finally allowed for him to leave.

“Be careful on your way there and back, my son. Make sure you sell a lot.”

“Of course, mama.” He waved and off he went.

Even though it was his first time to the capitol, Kunhang found his way with ease. When he stood at the foot of the entrance, he couldn’t help but feel excited about what was to come. He smiled and quickly walked inside before the soldiers gave him trouble.

Looking around, he was amazed by everything he saw. His hometown was nothing compared to the capitol. It was busier, more crowded, and overwhelming. Everyone’s clothing was of higher value and the quality of the products was the best of the best. Nothing could beat this sight. It was a place that had captured his heart. He loved every bit of it, and he knew he had to come back again, especially with his mother.

After marveling over the town, Kunhang managed to find a vacant spot to set up his shop for the day. He knew with every moment, he was losing money, so he quickly got everything ready. Once he was satisfied with the setup, he took a deep breath to prepare himself.

Clearing his throat, he called out to potential customers who barely spared him a glance. When several dozen passed his stall without purchasing anything, he knew he had to do something else to get their attention.

Coming around his stand, he looked left and right. He observed the different stalls, vendors then the people who migrated to them. If he wanted to survive in the capitol, he had to be more charismatic with how he conducted business.

“Okay, Kunhang. You can do this.” He inhaled, then began to interact more with people. He made sure to always be polite and give them his full attention to make sure he didn’t scare anyone away. It seemed like it was working because customers were starting to shift to his stall from other ones. 

Things were going great. People were interested in buying his products while others were more invested in getting to know him and even stayed behind to talk with him. 

Eventually, as a crowd formed around his stall, he sold every vegetable and fruit he had. But it also brought trouble. Nearby soldiers grew concerned about the amount of people swarming together and walked over to see what was going on. They pushed through the crowd until they got into the middle. There, they found the boy.

At the sight of the soldiers, the laughter died down and was replaced by whispers. Everyone looked fearful of their presence and backed away. One of the soldiers stepped towards Kunhang and gave him a fake smile.

“Hello, there.”

“Hi!” He unknowingly greeted them, not realizing he was in trouble.

“I’m going to need to see your permit.”

“Permit?”

“Yes, your permit to sell here. Can I see it?” The soldier asked, but this time, his voice was more threatening as if his patience was running thin. The whispers got louder.

“I don’t have one,” Kunhang nervously laughed. ”This is my first time in the capitol, so I didn’t know I needed one. I’m sorry.”

“You’re sorry?”

He took a step towards Kunhang. “Because of your disregard of the law and carelessly setting up shop without a permit, I’m going to have to revoke all the money you made today.”

This caused an uproar from the crowd.

“But sir, I need this money. Taking it away will cause trouble-”

“Are you refusing to follow orders from a soldier of the capitol?” The man took a step towards him, trying to intimidate him with his size.

“N-No! It’s not that! I-”

“Breaking the law and not doing what you’re told. As expected from commoners.” He scoffed, rolling his eyes. People who heard the comment angrily yelled at the man, only to be silenced by his men. “Kid, I am going to need you to remove your mask for identification.”

“I cannot do that either.” Kunhang immediately covered the mask. He made a promise with his mother and he was going to uphold it.

“And why not?”

“Because I am forbidden from taking it off.”

“By who? The king?” Mocking him, the soldier bellowed with laughter. The longer Kunhang spoke with him, the more uncomfortable and nervous he felt. He didn’t want any trouble, yet he wouldn’t let him be. Having had enough of his fun, the man stopped laughing and took a step forward. He grabbed onto his collar, then yanked him towards him. “I’m not going to ask you again. Remove your mask. Now.”

“Please, kind sir. I am telling you that I-”

As if luck was on his side, someone had come to save him. An authoritative presence silenced the crowd’s whispers as the person made their way into the center. The guard clicked his tongue and turned to scold the person when he stopped himself.

“My name is Prince Wong Junhang and I would like to know what is going on here.”

The guard’s eyes widened at his appearance, then immediately let go of his collar, sending Kunhang to the ground. He bowed to the prince as he tried to uphold what little honor he had left. Junhang scowled at the filthy sight.

“To have seen you using your authority to conduct such business is revolting. That is not how a proper soldier treats our people, nor will I allow this to continue. I will be having a talk with my father about your behavior and see that you are reassigned in a lower division. Hopefully then, you will learn to humble yourself.”

“Your highness, surely you're joking. I was merely teaching this commoner a lesson about-” But he didn’t get to finish his pathetic excuse. With one look into Junhang’s glare, he swallowed his words. He bowed his head once more, accepting his punishment. “Yes, your highness.”

He turned to the other soldiers who had their heads lowered in fear. “Don’t expect to escape from punishment either. Y/N will be taking note of your names to be reported to my father as you await punishment alongside this gentleman.”

Accepting their fates, they nodded. With the prince occupied and nothing else to lose, the soldier turned to Kunhang. His eyes raged with revenge and anger that he wanted to take out on him. He reached for the mask and ripped it off, the sound of fabric tearing brought the attention back to the two of them.

Junhang was losing patience with this man. Not only did he harass a civilian, his treatment in dealing with them was too rough. He gripped onto the soldier’s collar and pulled him close until they were face to face.

“You-” 

His threat fell short when the crowd gasped, then fell into silence. You grabbed the back of his shirt, averting his attention to you. His eyebrows furrowed when you struggled to even say his name.

“J-Jun-Junhang.” You met his eyes and pointed in the direction of the boy. Your bottom lip trembled as if you were too scared to speak. 

Junhang followed your finger and his eyes widened. He was looking at himself or at least that was what he thought. 

Kunhang gulped. He didn’t like all the attention he was receiving as he scrambled to hide behind his cart. Both boys were just as confused as the other.

“There’s two prince Junhang’s!” Everyone was sent into a frenzy. But before they could get closer, the two of them were dragged out from the crowd.

Kunhang didn’t know how he went from sitting to suddenly floating. He looked down at the arm wrapped around his waist, then up at the soldier carrying him. His head hurt from all these unknown things that had transpired within the last five minutes. However, the thing he worried about was his cart that was being left behind.

“Where are you taking me? Hey, let me go!” No matter how much he tried to fight back, the strength of the soldier was too much for him to handle. He hoped nothing happened to his belongings. “Wait, wait! Just wait a second, would you?”

“Relax. I left behind trusted guards to take care of your things while you’re gone.” You glanced over your shoulder at him and smiled to reassure him.

“Gone? Wait, are you kidnapping me right now?”

You blinked, then burst out laughing as he nervously laughed along. He didn’t get what was so funny, but he thought if he danced to your tune, maybe you would take it easy on him. Shaking your head at his amusing question, you answered him.

“We just need to talk with you is all.”

“Look, I’m sorry I sold things without a permit. I really didn’t know I needed one to do business here. I promise I’ll get one next time, so please. Just let me go home to my mother,” Kunhang pleaded. If anything, he was more worried about not returning to her than getting into trouble with the prince. “Please.”

You sighed, then softly smiled. “If you can answer our questions, then we’ll let you go home. All right?”

At that, he nodded.

“All right.”


	3. Chapter 3

After settling in a restaurant away from prying eyes and gossiping mouths, the royal guards stood outside to prevent anyone from intruding. Their intimidating presence and the dead silence made it harder for Kunhang to stay calm. His hands gripped onto his pants as he tried to maintain a tall and straight posture. Sweat formed on the palm of his hands and his heart was beating a thousand beats per minute. He was too nervous to even breathe properly.

First, he had the problem of having to attract enough customers to even make a profit. That took a lot of effort in itself. Then, soldiers showed up to give him a hard time about a permit that he wasn’t even aware he needed. If they wanted them so badly, they should’ve put up big signs saying so. That way, it’d prevent nerve-wracking situations for people like him. Now, he was trapped in a restaurant with two strangers who won’t let him go until he answered their questions. All he wanted to do was visit the capitol, so how did he end up here?

Kunhang looked between you and the prince who was leaning against the wall with his head down. He gulped. It was an awkward atmosphere for all of you. Neither you nor Kunhang spoke. He wasn’t sure if he should say something or make a run for it.

You nibbled on your bottom lip, trying to gather your thoughts. You didn’t know what was going on. You weren’t even sure if you were seeing properly or maybe it was a dream. How was it possible for there to be two of your Junhang? Why did the boy suddenly before you now? Did he himself know about this? Was he a friend or foe? So many questions that you didn’t have answers for.

Meanwhile, Junhang struggled with keeping his composure. His brain spun with all kinds of thoughts and it made his head hurt. He wasn’t sure how to react to everything he witnessed within a span of five minutes. It happened too fast. He was still trying to catch up.

Had his whole life been a lie? Who was this boy who looked exactly like him? Did his parents know about this?

Letting out a sigh, Junhang crossed his arms and closed his eyes. While he tried to figure things out, he hoped you did all the talking for him.

“You must be confused, huh?” You spoke after some time. Kunhang cleared his throat and sat up taller than before. He glanced at the guards, then nodded at you. You noticed what he did and softly smiled. “You can relax. You’re not in trouble.”

“I’m not?” His eyes widened in surprise. Surely, he thought that the mess from earlier was the reason why he was here.

“First, we’d like to apologize for the treatment our soldiers gave you. They will be reprimanded and disciplined for their actions. We will also compensate you for any damages they may have caused.”

He smiled, thanking you.

“Secondly, we’d like to apologize for frightening you. We didn’t mean to react the way we did. It’s just that when we saw you, we were a bit surprised,” You said as you bowed your head. He let out a gasp and waved his hands, flustered.

“Ah, no! It’s fine, it’s fine! Please raise your head!” He panicked. 

You were surprised. After you and Junhang had dragged him off like that, the boy was still polite. You couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief. This was going a lot better than you thought.

“I know you must have a lot of questions as do we, so let’s try to work together to figure this out. Then, you can go home. Is that alright with you?”

He nodded as you gestured for him to do so.

“My name is Wong Kunhang and I’m from X town. I usually travel around to nearby places to make enough money for me and my mother since our farm is a little far out from everything else.”

“You,” You interrupted, then paused as you glanced at Junhang and back at Kunhang. “Don’t have any siblings?”

“No. My mother said it was hard getting pregnant after having me, so she put all of her love into raising me instead. At least, that’s what she likes to tell me,” He bashfully answered, rubbing the back of his neck.

“She sounds like a wonderful mother.” You softly smiled and you truly meant it.”

“She is indeed.”

Kunhang hoped what he told you gave you enough information despite it not being much. There wasn’t much to tell in the first place, so it was all he had. Your silence did little to assure him though. The sound of your finger tapping against the table and the way your eyebrows furrowed together in frustration made him nervous. You looked deep in thought.

Out of panic, he scrambled to find something to say when you spoke.

“Well, since you’ve been cooperative with us, you can ask me whatever you’d like.”

When he was finally presented with an opportunity to ask questions, his mind blanked. Just a second ago, all sorts of thoughts and questions made a mess in his head. Now, he had trouble even thinking of one to ask you.

You raised an eyebrow and tilted your head in confusion. His eyes widened as he let out a gasp and averted his attention from you. He looked for something to focus on so that the blush on his face would subdue. Only, his gaze fell on Junhang.

Kunhang couldn’t see much of him since it was as if the prince tried to hide himself. His lips parted as if wanting to say something to him, but he wasn’t sure what. The longer he looked at Junhang, the stronger the weird feeling stirred in his stomach. His skin crawled with an itchy sensation and a chill ran down his spine. His heart grew heavy, yet light as if something was being released. As if he was being pulled to him.

Suddenly becoming overwhelmed by the strong feeling, Kunhang turned to you. But then he remembered why he avoided you in the first place. So, he looked down at the table since it seemed to be his best option. His cheeks burned with embarrassment.

After gathering his thoughts, he took a deep breath to compose himself.

“Well, I suppose I’d like to know why I’m here. You said it wasn’t because of the trouble earlier, so what business does the royal prince have with me?” Kunhang nervously laughed, scratching the back of his neck.

You glanced over your shoulder and met Junhang’s eyes to see how he wanted to do things. Uncertainty and fear were all you could see, yet a small glimmer of pride shined brightly in his eyes. So, that was his resolve. You sighed and stood up to let him take over.

Junhang pushed himself off the wall and walked over, taking the seat. The intimidating air surrounding his body made Kunhang even more on edge. He gulped, averting his attention to the floor, and keeping his head down.

Was it something he said just now? Did he say something wrong? Did he mess up somehow? Maybe he said it too harshly and now, they were going to kill him for talking rudely to the prince.

First time to the capitol and it ended up being his last. Nice going, Kunhang.

“H-Hey, listen. I didn’t mean it in a bad way. I’m just a little lost at all this fuss, okay? My tone may have come off a bit rude, but I-”

You chuckled as his head whipped back to you in a panic. “Relax. He’s not going to bite.”

He let out a sigh of relief. He couldn’t die now when he hadn’t yet fulfilled his wish to pay back his mother for all the things she did for him all these years.

“Well,” You said.

“Well?” He repeated in horror, thinking maybe you changed your mind about his execution after all.

“To answer your question, the reason why you’re here is-” You placed a hand down on the prince’s head and glanced at Junhang, rustling his hair. Then, you smiled at Kunhang. “Because he has a problem with you.”

“Huh? But-but I thought you said there wasn’t a problem!” Kunhang exclaimed.

You hummed. “Well, it’s more of a personal problem.”

He looked to Junhang who didn’t do anything but keep his head down. You frowned and hit his back with your elbow. He let out a huff as a pink tint ran across his cheeks.

“Forgive him. He’s a bit awkward with other humans,” You explained and Junhang glared at you behind his bangs. You innocently smiled back. He shook his head and let out a sigh before looking at the floor.

“Ku-Kun-hang,” Junhang stuttered as his cheeks and lips twitched with every syllable. He clenched his hands in his lap. Then, he sucked in a breath and his eyes searched for yours for help. You chuckled, patting his back for trying his best.

“You did well, Junhang. Let me ask him then.”

Junhang let out a sigh of relief, thankful you were here.

“Kunhang,” You softly called.

“Mm?” Still taken back by the prince, Kunhang’s gaze slowly came to yours.

“Can I ask you when your birthday is?”

“September 28th, 1999. But what does that have to do with the prince?” Kunhang’s eyebrows furrowed together in confusion, finally brought out of his thoughts.

“You-” Junhang began to say, then held back.

“You two are twins,” You gasped, looking between the two boys with a shaking hand over your mouth. Your legs gave out and you had to lean on the table for support.

“Wait, what? You can’t possibly assume such a thing from my birthday. Many people have this birthday.” Kunhang tried to explain himself. He didn’t understand what caused you to say such a ridiculous lie. Surely, you were joking.

Adrenaline pumped through your veins and you could hear your racing heartbeat in your ears. Out of a hurry, you swiped your hand up Junhang’s face and pushed his bangs out of the way. You watched as Kunhang’s eyes slowly widened in realization.

A face just like his stared back at him. The only differences were small details here and there, but everything else was identical. Was what you said true after all?

“I-I don’t. No, wait. What?” He stumbled over his words. He looked at you again for confirmation and you nodded. “This isn’t possible. I don’t, no! I-I need to go.”

Kunhang scrambled to get out of the seat. His legs shook so badly that he was barely able to get up. His throat went dry and his hands were starting to sweat. He needed to get out now. Using the tables and counters for support, he made his way to the door. That was until you caught his wrist.

“Kunhang,” You whispered and tightened your grip. “You can’t go. Not when we’ve discovered something like this-”

“No! I want to go home! Please let me go!” He begged as you did as he said. He looked at Junhang who was just as scared as he was, and a chill ran down his spine. His instincts kicked in and he wanted to get away from this situation as fast as possible. This was too much to handle.

“Kunhang, wait!” You called after him again.

“I need to go home!”

He pushed past you to get to the door. Before you and Junhang could say anything more, Kunhang said one last thing before slamming the door in your face.

“Please pretend this never happened.”


End file.
